St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-03-10
PIECE OF RED CALICO.
Frank r. Stockton.

if would have time during the day tC
buy her two yards and a half of calico
like that. | assured her that it would
be no trouble at all and putting the
piece of calico in my pocket, l took
the train for the city.
At lunch time | stepped into large
dry goods store to attend to my wife's
commission. / saw a well dressed
man walking the floor between the
counters, where long lines of girls
were waiting on much longer lines OF
customers, and asked him where L
could see some red calico.
"This way, sir" and he led me up
the store. "Miss Stone," said he, to a
young lady, "shOw this gentleman
some red Calico"
"What shade do you want" asked
Miss Stone.
| showed her the little piece of cali
co that my wife had given me. She
looked at it and handed it back to me.
Then she took down a great roll of red
calico and spread it on the counter.
"Why, that isn't the shade !" said L.
"No. not exactly" said she; but it
is prettier than your sample"
"That may be-" said /; "but, you
see, want to match this piece. There
is something already made of this kind
of calico, which needs to be made larg-
er, or mended, or something. | want
some calico of the same shade"
The girl made no answer, but took
down another roll.
"That's the shade" said she.
eyes," | replied, "but it is striped"
"Stripes are worn more than any
thing else in calicOes," said she.
eyes; but this isn't to be worn. It's
for furniture, think. AT any rate |
want perfectly plain stuff to match
something already in USE"
"Well, l don't think you can find it
perfectly plain, unless you get Turkey
red"
"What is Turkey red ~ 1 asked.
"Turkey-red is perfectly plain i'll
calicOes," she answered.
"Well, let me see some"
ave haven't any Turkey-red calico
left" she said ; "but we have some
very nice plain calico in other cOlOrs."
81 don't want any other color. |
want stuff to match this"
'It's hard to match cheap calico like
that" she said, and so | left her.
| next went into a store few doors
farther up Broadway. When L enter
ed | approached the "flOOr- walker"
and, handing him my sample, said:
"Have you any calico like this 7"
eyes, SIR" said he. "Third counter
to the right"
| went to the third counter to the
right, and showed my sample to the
salesman in attendance there. He
looked at it on both sides. Then he
said;
awe haven't any of this"
"That gentleman said you had"
said l.
awe had it, but we're out of it now,
You'll get that goods at an uphOlster
er's."
went across the street to an up
hOlsteIer's.
"Have you any stuff like this ?" 1
asked.
"NO," said the salesman, "we have
not. Is it for furniture ?"
eyes," | replied.
"Then Turkey-red is what you
want"
els Turkey-red just like this ?"
asked.
"No," said he, "but it is much bet
teri
"That makes no difference to me-"
replied 81 want something just like
this"
"But they don't use that for furni-
ture," he said.
81 should think people could use
anything they wanted for furniture"
l remarked, somewhat sharply.
"They can, but they DON'T" he said,
quite calmly: ''They don't use red
like that. They use Turkey-red"
I lof
place | visited was very large dry
saw | inquired if they kept red calico
like my sample.
you'll find that on the second stO-
ry," said he.
| went up stairs. There | asked a
man;
"Where will find red calico 2"
''ln the far room to the left. Right
over there" And he pointed to IA dis
tant corner.
l walked through the crowds of pur-
chasers and salespeOple, and around
the counters and tables filed with
goods, to the far room to the left
When | got there | asked for red cali
co.
"The second counter down on this
side," said the man.
| went there and produced my sam
Pile.
"CalicOes down stairs" said the man.
"They told me they were up here"
L said.
mot these plain goods. You'll find
'em down stairs ut the back of the
store, over on that side"
L went down stairs to the back of
the store.
"Where'll find red calico like this?"
asked.
"Next counter but one" said the
man addressed, walking with me in
the direction pointed out.
"Dunn, show red calicOes.n
Mr.. Dunn took my sample an look
ed at it.
"We haven't this shade in that quail |
ity of goods" he said.
well, have you it in any quality of
goods 7" L asked.
Yes; we've got it finer" And he
took down piece of calico, and un
rolled yard or two of it on the count |
er.
"That's not the shade" said.
mo" said he. "The goods is finer
and the c0lOr's better.n
81 want 1t to match this" | said.
81 thought you weren't particular
about the MATCH" said the salesman.
q" lou said you didn't care for the quail
Ity OF the goods, and you know you
cant match goods without you take
into consideration quality and color
both. Ii you want that quality of
goods IN Fed, you ought to get Turkey
red"
uid not think it necessary to ans
wer TINS remark, but said:
'Inen you've got nothing to match |